Top 10 wildlife you can find in the Scottish Highlands

FROM the world’s second-largest fish, to the majestic sea eagle and the playful dolphin, there’s a wealth of wildlife to be found across the west highlands.

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Deer

WITH the recent spotting of the west coast Orca group off the coast of Coll, what better time to take a look at Scotland’s wildlife top 10?

From the world’s second-largest fish, to the majestic sea eagle and the playful dolphin, there’s a wealth of wildlife to be found across the west highlands.

From the coasts to the mountain tops, we are privileged to share this landscape with a variety of incredible animals. So here’s our choice of the best that the highlands have to offer.

Orca

Orca whales

Actually a member of the dolphin family, orcas – or killer whales – are among the most intelligent mammals on the planet. The west coast family group can be spotted anywhere from Cape Wrath to Cornwall but they do tend to have a soft spot for the west coast of Scotland in summer as they follow the mackerel on which they feed northward. Recently spotted off the inner Hebridean island of Coll, this pod of nine, are believed to be under threat as they have not bred in several years.

Instantly recognisable from their huge black dorsal fin, which can reach up to six feet, an encounter with orcas is an experience that stays with you a lifetime. Simply, and literally, awe-inspiring.

Basking shark

Basking Shark

The world’s second-largest fish, this summer visitor is easy to spot in calm seas as it is slow-moving and travels near the surface, its dorsal fin signposting its position. The basking shark feeds by filtering tiny plankton through its two-metre wide mouth and out through the gills, hence the ‘yawning’ look. Basking sharks can reach 12 metres long but, despite their size, are completely harmless to humans.

Otter

Otter

Spotting an otter may require an alarm clock and plenty patience. Mostly active at night, they are best spotted in sheltered bays in the late evening or early morning. Head out at low tide and you may be rewarded with the sight of a female and her cubs scouring the rock pools for crabs and other crustaceans. Delightfully playful, otters are a genuine treat for those lucky enough to spot one.

Sea eagle

Sea Eagle

Extinct from Scotland until the 1970s when a Norwegian breeding pair were released on the Isle of Rum, the white-tailed or sea eagle has firmly re-established itself along the west coast. There are several pairs on Mull, which is generally regarded as the best place to see them but with their huge range they can be spotted anywhere along our western coasts and beyond. Generally scavengers, sea-eagles will also take small rabbits and fish. They are easily distinguished from other birds of prey by their huge wing span which can reach 2.5 metres, and from the golden eagle by their distinctive white tail feathers.

Pine marten

Pine Marten

This tiny forest-dwelling mammal is now find right across the Highlands and, being largely nocturnal, is best spotted on the late, light nights of summer. Pine martens are adept at hunting and can take down red squirrels with ease. They are also expert climbers scavengers and are not immune to raiding compost and rubbish bins as well as stealing treats left out for garden birds.

Minke whales

Minke whale

One of the most commonly spotted of our native whales, minkes are found right across the west coast. Best spotted in calm seas and sunshine – when their breaching backs glint off the sun – minke whales are a sight to behold. Growing up to nine metres long, they are frequent visitors to the seas around the Small Isle of Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna. Minkes feed on fish, squid and krill, which they gulp into their huge mouths and filter. Inquisitive mammals they often approach boats and can breach beside them as they breathe through their blowholes. Beware though, their breath is not the most pleasant…

Deer

Deer

One of the most iconic of all Scotland’s mammals, deer, especially red deer are found throughout the Highlands and are easily spotted on rough moorland and the edges of forests. Unfortunately, they are also especially fond of roads but the sharp-eyed driver will spot the reflection of their eyes before any damage is caused. In summer, stags will be sporting their newly-grown, velvet-covered antlers in preparation for the autumn rut when they will battle for dominance of the herd and the right to breed with the hinds, as the females are known.

Red squirrels

Red squirrel

These delightful creatures are our native squirrel and were once prevalent throughout the UK. Now, however, they have lost out to the non-native grey squirrel in most of the country but continue to thrive in the Highlands. At home in the coniferous forests of the west and, the Caledonian forest of Strathspey and the central Highlands, they are active during daylight hours but are shy and will freeze if startled.

Dolphins

Dolphin

Another of our native marine mammals, an encounter with dolphins is always a special experience. Frequently found riding the bow waves of boats across the west coast, bottlenose dolphins travel in small pods but on occasion pods can join up to make huge groups of playful, breaching animals. Common dolphins travel in larger groups, sometimes consisting of more than 100 animals, and are distinguishable from their cousins by the white hourglass markings on their flanks. Dolphins are especially fast-moving, travelling at up to 20 miles an hour and feed upon fish such as mackerel and salmon.

Wildcat

Wildcat

Probably the most threatened of all our native species, the Scottish wildcat is now confined to a few spots in the far north and west a victim of lost habitat and, more especially, inter-breeding with its close cousin the domestic cat. Despite their familiar looks, wildcats are not simply feral cats, they are true wild animals. One of the hardest to spot of all our native species, wildcats, in addition to being rare, are shy and nocturnal. They hunt voles and mice and, like their domestic relatives, prey on small birds.